1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a golf club, and more particularly, the present invention relates to a collapsible golf club
2. Description of the Prior Art
Numerous innovations for golf club related devices been provided in the prior art that will be described. Even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they differ from the present invention.
A FIRST EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,316,951, Issued on May 2, 1967, to JACOBSON teaches in combination, a golf bag having a normally closed bottom end and an open opposite end from which golf clubs extend, and a longitudinally extending shoulder strap having a separated opposite end portions attached to the bag, and a case enclosing said golf bag and clubs comprising: opposed flexible panels each having opposite longitudinal edges and end edges, one of the longitudinal and one of the end edges of one of the panels being secured to the corresponding edges of the other panel, the other longitudinal edge and the other end edge of each panel having a single zipper stringer extending therealong, the zipper stringers being normally interlocked to close the case around the golf bag, two cooperating pairs of zipper sliders on said zipper stringers for selectively opening and closing said stringers on movement of the pairs of sliders in one direction, the leading slider of each pair opening the stringers and the other slide of each pair closing the stringers, each cooperating pair of sliders being positioned with its individual sliders on opposite sides of a different one of the end portions of the shoulder strap of the golf bag and defining the margins of a variably sized and shiftable opening on the stringers for the shoulder strap, through which opening the associated end portion of the shoulder strap passes to the outside of the case, the slider nearest the end of the golf bag being movable to the end of the stringers at the end edges of the casing panels to form a large opening at the end of the casing around the open end of the golf bag, said cooperating pair of zipper sliders being movable into a contiguous position when the shoulder strap is tucked into the casing where the stringers are closed for substantially their full length, and means on the sliders which permit the four sliders to be locked together in such position.
A SECOND EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 3,829,092, Issued on Aug. 13, 1974, to ARKIN teaches in combination, a portable container with a plurality of different golf club heads with each of the heads having a shank portion, said plurality of different golf club heads all removably supported in said portable container, means in the container such as pegs or the like for removably and spacedly supporting the heads whereby said heads are each independently removable from the container, and a shaft formed of a plurality of telescoping sections adapted when in extended position to form a shaft for each of the golf club heads, the shaft having an innermost section, an intermediate section and an outermost section, which outermost section forms the handle of said shaft, each of the shanks of the golf club heads having means which cooperate with the innermost section of the shaft for detachably locking said shaft to any one of said heads for using same as a conventional golf club, the said telescoping sections when detached from any of said heads to be telescoped so that all of the telescoped sections are collapsed to a relatively short length to be readily supported in the portable container, means in the container for retaining the telescoped sections in said container, said single shaft and plurality of different detachable heads forming the equivalent of a complete set of different golf clubs which are transportable in the relatively small container.
A THIRD EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,977, Issued on May 30, 1978, to LUTTBEG teaches a protective carrier for golf bags and golf clubs comprising a tapered, tubular shaped, rigid container having hinged clam shell halves permitting the container to be opened and closed, and a lock and latches to secure the halves. A longitudinal reinforced slot is provided in the container wall to allow the extension of a golf bag handle and golf bag strap through the container to permit carrying of the container and a golf bag therein. A latch strap across the slot prevents the golf bag strap and handle from becoming inaccessible by receding into the interior of the container. Reinforcement ribs can be provided around the slot. The carrier has closed ends formed of hemispherical sections. Supporting ribs can extend longitudinally along the interior of the carrier, or can be arcuate shaped and extended transversely along the interior of the carrier. An alternative embodiment comprises a solid conical shaped slotted tube with an openable plug end and a permanently closed end.
A FOURTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,847, Issued on Mar. 8, 1983, to PICCO teaches a portable golf equipment case for carrying a knockdown golf bag, clubs, and golf accessories comprising an oblong box-like structure having broad side walls generally in the shape of a parallelogram and including a body portion and a hinged lid forming a major portion of one of the broad side walls. A roller member is located at one diagonal end of the parallelogram type structure with the roller running substantially across the width of the relatively narrow side and end walls to provide a relatively wide load bearing surface for pulling the case from the opposite diagonal end of the structure which includes a flush mounted handle. A second flush mounted handle is located substantially at the mid section of one side wall for lifting and carrying the case. Means are also selectively located on the side wall containing the flush handle for attaching a carrying strap thereto.
A FIFTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,442, Issued on Jul. 18, 1995, to WALKER teaches a golf club with a quick release head comprising a shaft which has an upper handle end a lower hosel end formed in a tubular configuration. The hosel end has a bore centrally formed therein. Screw threads formed within the bore extend from the hosel end of the shaft inwardly a predetermined distance. A head at the lower head end has an upwardly extending hosel at the hosel end and a bore formed within the hosel end. The interior diameter of the bore of the hosel is essentially the same as the internal bore in the shaft and the exterior diameter of the hosel is essentially the same as the exterior diameter of the shaft at the hosel end. The hosel has a diametric aperture which extends therethrough. A coupling rod has a threaded upper end with screw threads matable with the screw threads in the bore of the shaft and a lower end formed with a diametric aperture extends therethrough in alignment with the diametric aperture in the hosel. A quick release pin is positionable through the apertures of the hosel and rod to secure a preselected head in operative association with the rod and shaft.
A SIXTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,792,006, Issued on Aug. 11, 1998, to HESSER teaches a collapsible golf club shaft that is formed of a conventional stepped one-piece tubular golf shaft having diameters progressing from a large ID and OD end to a smaller ID and OD end, being cut in two at the end of one cylindrical axial sections next to the larger axial section, allowing the two pieces to be telescoped together as inner and outer pieces, and shifted then between a collapsed position compactly nested together and an extended operative position with only endmost stepped sections of the pieces yet overlapped at a separable connection between the pieces. A screw can be extended through wall structure openings and threaded into a reinforcing structure inside the inner piece at the connection for locking the pieces together in the extended operative position. A golf club formed from this shaft, with a hand grip on the outer piece and a head on the inner piece, at the opposite ends of the extended shaft, can be collapsible to slightly more than half the length of the extended operative club, for compact storage and handling.
A SEVENTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,260, Issued on Jan. 26, 1999, to BUTLER, JR ET AL. teaches a device-coupled golf club including a club head which is assembled with a shaft by use of a coupling device. Club head is formed with a hosel which is formed with a bore having threads formed in an upper portion thereof and a floor at the base thereof. Coupling device is formed with a body having a bore formed axially therethrough. A flange is formed radially outwardly from one end of the body and is formed with threads from the flange toward the opposite axial end of the body. A ferrule is located on shaft and a tip end of the shaft is inserted into bore of body and secured there by an epoxy glue. An exterior surface of body is formed with threads which engage threads formed within bore of hosel to removably secure device with head whereby shaft is assembled with the head to form club.
AN EIGHTH EXAMPLE, U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,866 B1, Issued on Apr. 16, 2002, to RIVERA teaches a compact golf club set having a complete set of thirteen golf club heads, two club shafts, and two club handles, all attractively positioned and retained, in a unique briefcase-style carrying case, which provides ready access to golf shoes, towels, balls and tees. The various club shafts and club handles combine to form a long and a short club assembly, corresponding with a typical wood and a typical putter, respectively. The club shafts couple directly to the club heads without an intervening shank, which allows a complete thirteen club head set to be compactly and efficiently positioned in receptacles in the carrying case.
It is apparent that numerous innovations for golf club related devices have been provided in the prior art that are adapted to be used. Furthermore, even though these innovations may be suitable for the specific individual purposes to which they address, however, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention as heretofore described.